Delicate Strength
by annasays15
Summary: Dimitri does the unthinkable after his night with Rose in the cabin. How will Rose go on after her loss? A story about strength, friendship, and true love. (My take on a Dimitri leaves Rose for Tasha story. Not like the others)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The story begins in the cabin, just after Rose and Dimitri have sex. Please be advised that this story is for mature audiences only, and there will be M scenes later on. My story will not follow the original plot line, and the attack on the school is not happening after the cabin. All Vampire Academy rights belong to Richelle Mead. Enjoy.

As I begin to wake, I remember the events from yesterday clearly in my mind. I took the darkness from Lissa and nearly killed Jesse. That's when Dimitri showed up and took me to cool off. He took me to an old guardian cabin in the woods, where he brought me back to my normal state of mind, and we finally acknowledged the full extent of our feelings for each other.

Ever since Dimitri brought Lissa and me back to St. Vladimir's we had been fighting our ever growing attraction. I suppose it was bound to happen at some point. He and I just had so much undeniable chemistry. His touch lit my skin on fire, and his voice played in my mind like a perfectly written song. He was my perfect match, and we both finally acknowledged our need for each other. Dimitri is the first man to share my bed, and I am ready to graduate to see where things will go.

"Roza…" he whispers softly in my ear as I roll over to look at him. God he is beautiful. His dark eyes pierce through me, as if I am the only woman on the planet. The look of lust makes me wet with anticipation for him again.

"Dimitri" I reply as I look at him, with what I hope is lust.

I hear him chuckle as he says, "Oh no Roza. We have places to be now, as much as I would like to do that again."

I groan and climb over him out of the bed. I can feel him stand up behind me, and he wraps his arms around me.

"We can do this again tonight. I am done denying my feelings for you.", he whispers huskily in my ear.

I can feel myself shiver in anticipation. Walking around the cabin, I find my clothes where they were hastily discarded earlier. I quickly dress myself and turn around to find that he has done the same. Dimitri puts his arms around me and quickly pulls me in for a kiss.

"You are mine now." He whispers, and I can feel myself melt into his words.

"And you are mine." I whisper back. He kisses me again and takes my hand as we walk out of the cabin.

We walk quietly through the woods toward campus. It is a quiet walk, and I revel in the excitement I feel about Dimitri and I. I can't believe we have finally taken this step. Then, just before the tree line on campus, he stops.

"Roza, we need to tell Alberta and Kirova about us, if we want to continue this seriously. The last thing I want is for it to come back on either of us that we tried to hide it." He says seriously.

"You could be fired for this though Dimitri. I don't want that to happen just because of me." I respond quickly. I can feel myself worrying about his career and what others will think of him, if it comes out that he has relations with a student. "Maybe we should wait to make it public till graduation." I say thinking quickly.

"I don't want to wait till graduation Roza. I want everyone to know that you are mine." He says softly, as he lovingly brushes a stray hair behind my ear.

"It's only two months away." I whisper back, as I step in and wrap my arms around him. "It is worth the wait to me to save your job and reputation." I can hear him sigh loudly as he wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my hair.

"Then we will wait, but know I am willing to sacrifice all of that to be with you." He says as he kisses the top of my head. I step out of his embrace and kiss him softly.

"Two months." I say softly as I walk out of the trees and back on to campus. I leave him standing on the other side of the tree line and walk quickly back to my dorm. When I am close, I get pulled into Lissa's head. I see her and Christian going at it in the chapel library. It takes a few attempts but I manage to pull myself out, and I immediately shake it off and quickly enter the novice dorms.

I say hello to the guardian on duty as I make my way to the staircase and head up to my room. When I get there, I strip down and get in the shower. The feel of the hot water on my neck and back is amazing. I take my time rinsing today's earlier activities from my skin as I dwell on my thoughts of Dimitri. _Only two months._ I keep repeating to myself. _I can wait two months._

Once I'm finished and dressed, I make my way to see Lissa. I can't wait to tell her about Dimitri and I. _Hopefully she and Christian are out of their compromising position_. I hope to myself, as I walk toward the library. When I get there, I find them both cuddled up on the sofa, thankfully, clothed.

"Hey Sparky, can I steal my best friend for a bit." I say, making eyeing them over.

"Yep." He says laughing lightly. "I'm out of here." He kisses Lissa softly before he leaves.

When I'm sure he's gone, I take his spot and look at Lissa giddily.

"Woah. What's got you in such a great mood?" She asks me laughing.

"Well…" I start. "You remember how I told you that there was this guy I liked…" I see her nod her head quickly, as she starts to grin. She knows where I'm going with this. "We both decided to take it to the next level." I say happily.

"Oh my gosh! Rose! I'm so happy for you!" She squeals, as she throws her arms around me. "Now, tell me, who is the guy? You've had me dying to know for months."

"That's where it gets tricky Liss. You can't tell anyone, and I mean anyone." I reply seriously. Lissa nods her head in response, as I say "It's Dimitri."

Her mouth falls open and she stares at me in shock, as she processes the news.

"You mean your mentor Dimitri? Guardian Belikov, Dimitri?" She asks almost horrified.

"Yes." I respond quietly.

"Rose, do you have any idea how much trouble he could be in if anyone finds out?" She half shrieks at me.

"That's why we aren't making it official until after graduation." I tell her seriously.

"Rose, that's still two months away. Are you going to be able to stay away from him that long?" She asks.

"I have to. For the sake of his job and his reputation, as well as my own. I have to." I tell her honestly. "As much as it pains me to do it, I would do anything if it means keeping him safe from that."

"Well then, I'm happy for you Rose. Just be careful that you know what you are getting into." She says smiling at me. I smile back, because I can't help it. I am just so excited that the man of my dreams is finally mine.


	2. Chapter 2

The last month has been the hardest of my life. Seeing Dimitri every day, training with him twice a day, just being with him, and not being able to kiss him has been so hard. My mantra, _just till graduation,_ has been on constant repeat in my mind. It is the only thing that has helped me push through. _Only one more month to go._ I tell myself, as I walk away from one of our steamier practices.

Today was particularly difficult as I think back to our training session:

 _Dimitri and I looked at each other as we began sparring. I threw everything I had at him. First I hit him with a side kick to the chest. As my foot landed back on the ground I stepped in and threw two quick jabs at his head and spun a hook kick at his legs, effectively bringing him to the ground. There I managed to get the upper hand as he attempted to block my hits. Finally, he flipped me over onto my back, gaining the winning stance, as he pinned my hands over my head._

 _"_ _Not bad Roza." He whispered huskily in my ear, as he rolled off me and offered me a hand up. I stood and looked him in the eye._

 _"_ _Not bad yourself Comrade." I said laughing._

 _We continued like this for another hour, then he dismissed me from training for the day. It was so hard to leave him with out a kiss. Just a long lingering look, as I headed out of the gym._

I pulled myself out of my head and made my way to the dining hall for some dinner. I met up with Eddie, Lissa, Christian, Adrian, and Mia. We sat down together and dug in. About half way through dinner and during a conversation about what we were going to do for our graduation celebration, Christian interrupted.

"My aunt, Tasha, is landing soon. I can't wait to see her. She's coming early for graduation. Said she wants to catch up with an old friend for a bit." Christian told us excitedly.

"I can't wait to see her Christian." Lissa said smiling at him, as she took his hand.

"We should probably head out to meet her with the guardians." Christian said standing. He kept Lissa's hand in his, leading her out of the dining hall with him.

"I wonder who she wants to catch up with." Eddie wondered out loud.

"Me too." I responded.

Dinner continued without interruption, and we all decided that some sort of combined party would be a great way to celebrate. About an hour later, we left the dining hall as it was closing. On my way back to my dorm I came across a familiar figure. I saw Dimitri standing talking to someone on campus. As I made my way over to him, I heard part of the conversation. I quickly stepped behind the wall blocking off the lawn on campus to listen in.

"Dimka, I want you to come with me as my guardian after Christian graduates. The council is insisting I have one as a royal moroi, and I don't want anyone else." I hear a female voice say.

"Tasha, I have obligations here. I can't just pick up and leave." Dimitri responds.

"But Dimka, you are one of my best friends. I trust you with my life. Plus… together we could create everything you've always wanted. We could make a family." She says longingly.

"I can't just leave my obligations Tasha, and there is already a woman in my life." He says softly.

I can feel my heart beating quickly. _What if he decides to take Tasha up on her offer for a family? What if he decides that I can't give him enough?_

"But Dimka, can she offer you what I can? Can she give you a real future?" Tasha asks. I peek around the wall and see her put her hand on his arm.

"That isn't what matters. She means everything to me. There are other ways to have a family." Dimitri responds, but I can hear the longing in his voice.

"Well I will be here for a month, and I think you might find that meaning everything and love are two very different things." She says.

I watch from behind the wall as she steps in, wraps her arms around his neck, and kisses him soundly. I feel my heart break, when he doesn't push her away. He leans into the kiss. As she steps away, she looks at him longingly.

"Until later Dimka." She says as she turns and walks toward main campus.

I stay hidden behind the wall. My heart is racing in my chest, and I can feel my fists balling. _How dare she make a move on my man! How dare she kiss him! How dare he let her!_ I can feel my blood beginning to boil, as I walk away from Dimitri. I walk around the area he is in on campus, just so I don't have to look at him after witnessing that. I need some time to gather my thoughts before I say anything. After taking a long walk around campus, I finally head back to my dorm.

When I step into my room, I find the first thing I can to hurl at the wall. I need something to take my aggression out on. Next thing I know, I'm out of breakables to throw. I find myself sinking to the floor and sitting in shattered glass. How can I face him now, knowing he is so willing to let someone else in?

This is how Lissa found me when she came to visit me later that night. I texted her to let her know I needed my best friend.

"What do you mean she kissed him?" She asked shocked.

"I mean she kissed him. She told him that she could give him everything he always wanted, and then kissed him!" I tell her sobbing.

Lissa wraps her arms around me and keeps telling me that everything is going to be okay. It doesn't feel like it though. It feels like my world is falling apart. The man I love let another woman kiss him. He didn't push her away. He just let it happen like it was nothing.

"The thought of him with someone else makes me feel sick Liss." I say feeling slightly nauseous.

"I feel the same way about Christian." She says sympathetically. "You should really talk to him though Rose. Before you jump to crazy conclusions."

"I know. I just don't know how to look him in the eye after seeing that." My voice cracking, as I respond softly.

"Just be honest with him Rose. I'm sure he has his reasons." She says gently, as she leaves my room.

Once she is gone, I sit alone looking at the shattered frame, holding the picture of him and I from my last field test. I was so proud when I passed, and Alberta took a picture of Dimitri and me for my mom. She wanted to show her my expression, standing next to my mentor, after passing my first real guardian test. It is the only real picture of him and I that I have. It is also what I have used to help me make it through this last month without being able to really be with him.

All I know now is that there is someone else who wants Dimitri like I do. Someone that can give him everything he's always wanted. How can I possibly wait till graduation now?


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next two weeks I distance myself from Dimitri. I don't know how to look at him knowing he kissed Tasha. He has been so sweet and thoughtful, and he continues to try to find out what is wrong. However, I haven't been able to bring myself to talk to him about it yet. I am just so hurt, and he hasn't even made an effort to tell me about what happened. Even through all the thoughtful gestures and patience, I still see him spending more and more time with Tasha.

Last week I saw them walking the grounds together laughing and smiling. I saw her take his hand, and he didn't pull away.

Two days ago I saw them sitting at the back booth in the dining hall. They were both leaning in towards each other and talking quietly about something. Just as I turned around to look away I saw Tasha feed him something off her fork. I could practically feel the steam coming out of my ears.

Then this morning, after our first practice, he told me he had plans with Tasha and needed to push back our afternoon practice an hour. My brain immediately began to run wild thinking of all the scenarios that could be happening during that time.

As I walk into afternoon practice today, I am immediately cornered by Dimitri.

"Roza. You have not been yourself, you haven't been fighting up to your personal standards, you are distant, and I miss you." He says softly.

He pulls me into an embrace, but I can't find any joy in it. Not knowing that he could potentially have feelings for someone else. Finally, I feel my flood gates open, and I start to cry.

"I saw the whole thing Dimitri." I say, as I step out of his arms to look him in the eye.

"What do you mean Roza?" He asks.

"I heard her ask you to leave. I saw her kiss you. I saw you let it continue." I reply stepping further away.

"Roza, please… let me explain." He says with a horrified expression. I hear his voice crack as he continues, "It's not what you think."

"Then what is it Dimitri? She can give you everything I can't." I whisper.

"Roza, she can, but that's not everything." He says gently.

"But it's something… something big." I say quietly, tears still falling down my cheeks.

"Tasha is just a friend Roza." He replies softly, stepping forward and taking my face in his hands.

He kisses me softly on the lips, and I melt into his touch. I hear a soft gasp come from the other side of the gym. I quickly snap out of the kiss to look towards the doors. All I see are the doors closing. _Oh no. Who saw us?_ I think to myself.

"Dimitri… someone saw us." I say, feeling my heart start to race.

 _What if they tell someone? What if Dimitri loses his job? What if they won't let me graduate? What if they strip Dimitri of his guardian title?_ My mind starts racing as all of these questions flit through my mind.

"Roza, I think we need to come forward. If we really want this to work, we need to be honest with everyone, and each other." He says softly.

"I know we do. I just don't want this to come back on either of us Dimitri. It's not fair that there are these restrictions holding us back." I reply feeling helpless and frustrated.

"That is the situation we are faced with though Roza. If we want this to work, we need to deal with the situation as it is."

"Tomorrow, then." I say earnestly.

He nods in agreement and heads out of the gym. I stay for a bit longer and take all of my aggression out on one of the training dummies. I try to process all of the emotions bubbling up inside of me. It's then that I realize, I love this man. I truly love him. While we aren't even officially a couple yet, I have been falling for him slowly since I met him. Now I'm waiting until graduation to make things official, and I am completely, head-over-heels, in love with Dimitri Belikov.

 _I need to tell him._ Is the only thought that runs through my mind. I quickly put away the training weapons and dummy, and I grab my bag. As I walk out of the gym there is someone waiting for me against the wall.

"Hello Rose." I hear from behind me.

I whip around to see who it is. _Tasha._

"Tasha." I say coldly.

"Well, what have I done to deserve this bitterness from you Miss Hathaway?" She asks with a look that tells me she knows exactly what she did.

I just look at her and say, "What do you need Lady Ozera?"

It's then that I realize she has a gleam of maliciousness to her eyes.

"I need you to remove your underage hands from Dimka." She says icily. "While he may think he has found something special in you, I know he has something even better with me."

"I don't know what you could possibly be talking about Lady Ozera." I respond trying to keep our cover.

"Don't play dumb with me you brat." She replies. "I saw you two in the gym this evening, and if you don't leave him to be with someone more appropriate for him, I will tell Headmistress Kirova about his indiscretions with a student."

My jaw falls open as she says this. I quickly attempt to regain my composure and look at Tasha.

"You're a little late for that." I tell her. "We are already coming forward with our relationship." I smirk at her.

"Well then, sounds like I will just need to remove you from the equation completely instead." She says with a tone that sends chills down my spine.

Next thing I know; I feel as though my insides are being lit on fire. Tasha is concentrating solely on me, and that's when I realize that this is her doing. She is using her element, fire, to actually burn me from the inside out. All I can feel are my insides being torched, as I fall to the ground writhing in pain.

"This can all stop if you will just agree to leave Dimitri permanently Rose." She says cruelly.

"No." I manage to gasp out.

I feel the heat increase, and I scream out in pain.

"There is no sense in screaming Rose." She says. "No one can hear you out here, it is much too late for that."

A/N: Please leave me some comments on the story so far. I'm not 100% sure about it, and I would love some feedback. Thanks! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Tasha continues to torture me, burning my insides. I feel as though I've been tossed into a furnace, but my skin isn't charring. The only thing that is on fire is inside. There is just no physical evidence. I can't contain my screams as she intensifies the pain. Finally, it dawns on me, _I am going to die, unless I do something._ As this thought comes to me, I use every bit of strength I have left to use my bond with Lissa and call for help.

LPOV

Christian and I are watching a movie in my dorm when through the bond I hear, _"Liss… help… gym… fire."_ Then my connection with Rose is severed. I sit straight up, leap off the bed, throw a sweat shirt on, and grab my shoes. Christian also leaps up.

"Where are you going Liss?" he asks worriedly.

"Rose. I got a message through the bond. It sounds like she's in a lot of pain and trouble. I'm going to get her. Grab as many guardians as you can find and get to the gym." I shout as I run out of the dorm.

I keep running until I get to the gym, where I find Rose on the ground completely unconscious. I kneel down to wake her, and I am immediately overwhelmed by the amount of damage I can sense. My gift of spirit is telling me that she is nearly dead. It is then that I set to work healing small bits internally. The last thing she needs is for me end up insane from using too much spirit so soon after the incident with Jesse Zeklos.

I hear a stampede of feet coming from behind me, and I turn around to see about 10 guardians and Christian.

"Where is the threat Princess?" Guardian Belikov says, as he steps forward.

"I'm not sure. However, Rose needs to be taken immediately to Dr. Olendzki. The amount of internal damage she's received from the attack could very likely be fatal unless she gets help now." I say looking directly at him with knowing eyes.

He steps forward and says, "I'll take her."

I watch him walk off with my best friend and move to follow him. Christian holds me back, and I turn around to see the other guardians looking at me like I'm crazy. They obviously think I've pulled some sort of stunt with Rose.

"She messaged me through our bond. I didn't even get all of what she was saying, because she was in so much pain. Sorry to bother you, but there could have been a much larger threat." I say with as much dignity as I can muster.

Then I turn and follow Dimitri towards the clinic.

DPOV

I move with a purpose towards the clinic, knowing that the Princess wouldn't have looked so concerned without a reason. As I reach the clinic doors, I kick them in and lay Roza on a bed. Dr. Olendzki comes out of her office.

"What happened to her this time?" She asks with a laugh to her voice. She knows Roza's tendency to injure herself.

"I'm not sure." I reply. "She was found by the Princess unconscious, outside the gym."

"Alright then, let's take a look." She says, putting on her no nonsense face, as she begins to assess Roza.

I hear Princess Vasilissa come through the clinic doors. She makes her way over to Roza's bed.

"I'm not sure what happened." She says quickly. "But she messaged me through our bond. All I got was 'Liss… help… gym… fire' before I lost her. So I went to find her, and I found her unconscious."

"What kind of injury does she have Miss Dragomir? Because I cannot find anything externally wrong." Dr. Olendzki says curtly.

"When I touched her," Lissa begins, "it felt like she had been burned from the inside."

"Let's get her an MRI." She says quickly.

Next thing I know, Roza is being wheeled out of the room and Dr. Olendzki follows hastily. I can feel the Princess staring at me.

"I know." She says.

"What?" I reply shocked.

"I know, and this doesn't feel like an accident. I think someone did this to her." She says quietly.

"We are disclosing to Kirova and Alberta tomorrow." I tell her softly.

"Good, but if she dies, you won't need to." Lissa whispers.

"What do you mean 'if she dies'?" I ask quickly turning to her.

"I mean that when I found her she was almost gone. I healed her a little to get her here, but her injuries are extensive. I will need Adrian's help to heal her, and that still might be cutting it close." She tells me seriously.

"Then let's get Ivashkov down here…now." I tell her.

I watch as she takes out her phone and tells Adrian what happened. A few minutes later he comes bursting through the door, demanding to see Rose.

"Where is she?" He asks frantically.

"She's in for an MRI." Lissa tells him softly. "Take a seat, we will have an easier time healing her if we can target the most extensive injuries."

"Right." He says, obviously having a hard time with the idea of not healing her now.

Just then Dr. Olendzki and a nurse wheel Roza into a private room. She waves the three of us in and calls Alberta, so she can tell all of us at once.

"Her injuries are extensive. Her organs are starting to fail and it looks as though holes have been singed through her insides. Veins have burst, and her brain is extremely swollen. We need to act now, if she is going to live." Dr. Olendzki says bluntly.

"Where can we start?" Lissa and Adrian ask at the same time.

"One of you start on her organs, and the other on her brain. Nothing else will matter if we can't save those." She says.

I watch as Lissa and Adrian start to work trying to save Roza's life. I can't do anything but sit helplessly and watch as my Roza fights for her life. _How did this happen? Who could have done this? Why did someone do this?_ I put my head in my hands.

After a few minutes, Adrian collapses. Lissa stops what she is doing and puts her hand on his arm.

"He exhausted his healing power." She says quietly. "This was never his strongest spirit gift. Get him a bed, so he can sleep and regain his strength."

Lissa quickly stands back up and keeps working on Rose. She has a look of concentration that I have never seen before. The Princess seems determined to save her, which is what I want right? I feel myself falter.

 _I love Roza, but she has done something to send someone after her. Someone who apparently wants her dead. That could be a serious sign of immaturity. But I love my Roza, she is the woman I can see myself being with forever. Can I just turn my back on that? No. I can't. But when Roza is awake, I am going to get to the bottom of this. She can't just go around doing whatever she wants, if she is going to be a guardian. She will need to put the princess first._

I continue to mull over my thoughts when the Princess starts to scream…

A/N: Please review, and let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

DPOV

I look over to see the Princess pouring every thing she has left into Roza. That's when my guardian instincts kick in, and I quickly pull her off of Rose.

"Princess… you need to stop. Roza will never forgive herself if you die trying to save her." I say softly.

Lissa collapses into my arms sobbing.

"I can't live without her. She is my best friend. I need her Dimitri. I need her." She whispers.

"You have done enough for tonight Princess. You need to rest. She needs to do some of the healing herself." I tell her calmly.

"But…" She starts.

"No. You need to rest." I say with the most authority I can muster.

She leaves the room. Only to stand outside the window and stare into Roza's room. I stand and close the blinds so that she needs to leave. Then I move over to Roza's bed and sit gently on the side. I take her hand in mine and gently kiss it.

"Please heal my love." I say quietly as I stand and leave her room.

LPOV

 _I can't believe he kicked me out! I'll just wait until he leaves._ I move around the corner and wait a few minutes, until I see Dimitri leave Rose's room. Then I move back into her room and shut the door.

I quickly take Rose's arm and assess the remaining damage. There is still damage to her heart that I sense immediately, and some swelling in her brain. That's not even including the damage done to her muscle tissue all over her body. So knowing what I need to do, I lay down next to Rose and take her hand in mine. Then I give her everything I have, reminding myself of the night that I first saved her life.

DPOV

On my way back to my room I see Tasha talking to Christian.

"Hey." I say walking over to them. "Thanks for finding everyone Christian."

"No problem Guardian Belikov." He replies. "Know where I can find Lissa?"

"She should be back in her room. I sent her out when she started to get worn out." I tell him.

"Thanks. Good night Aunt Tasha. Guardian Belikov." He says as he walks toward the moroi dorms.

I then turn to Tasha.

"He told me what happened to Miss Hathaway. How horrible that someone would do that!" She says with horror. "I am wondering about the safety measures at this school, if things like this happen."

"It's not the school's fault." I say calmly. "Roza has a way of saying things in just the right way to irritate people. I have no doubt that this could be a provoked attack."

"Well, then it sounds like she has some growing up to do, before she is ready to guard the Dragomir Princess." Tasha says seriously.

"I would say she does." I respond tiredly. "I am going to get some rest."

I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and walk toward the guardian housing.

LPOV

I feel my energy draining from me, as I give what I have left to Rose. I need my best friend in this world, and I will do whatever it takes to save her. So I give the last of the energy I have, and I pass out next to her.

CPOV

I make my way to the moroi dorms looking for Lissa. When I get to her room, I knock once and wait. There's no answer. I knock again, no answer. Finally, I use the key Lissa gave me and unlock the door. When I walk in, I find that she isn't inside.

Quickly I come to the conclusion that she must have remained in the clinic with Rose. I lock her room behind me and walk towards the clinic. On my way I see my Aunt Tasha still talking to Guardian Belikov. He gives her a quick kiss on the cheek and leaves toward the guardian dorms.

I ponder what I saw as I continue to the clinic. _What was that kiss all about? Why would he kiss her cheek? I thought they were just friends._ When I arrive at the clinic there is no one there, so I begin checking the names on the doors. When I find Rose's name, I walk in to find Lissa collapsed on the bed with Rose.

I can feel myself start to panic, and I yell for a nurse. Dr. Olendzki comes running and checks Lissa for a pulse. Her pulse is faint, but shes still there. I watch as Lissa is moved to her own bed, and monitors are attached to her chest.

"We will need to keep her for monitoring, but I think she just expended too much energy on Rose." Dr. Olendzki informs me.

I can feel the panic begin to drain from my chest, and I follow the nurse pushing Lissa's bed to her room.

Dr. Olendzki's POV

I look down at the injured girl in laying in front of me. Someone did this to her. With injuries as extensive as hers were, it was no accident. Since she has been healed by Princess Vasilissa, I take Rose for a second MRI.

As the machine runs, I ponder how to inform her mother about her injuries. Janine Hathaway is used to hearing that her daughter is in the clinic, but she isn't used to hearing that she was seriously injured by someone else for malicious reasons. I also need to inform Headmistress Kirova about the girl's condition, and I need to update Alberta about how she is doing now.

I hear the machine finish the scan, and I look up to see the results on my computer. I can see that the majority of her injuries are gone. The swelling has gone down in her brain, her organs are whole again, and even her muscle tissue is healed. There is only one blip on the screen that give me pause for concern. One thing that makes me look again. One thing that hasn't been healed. One thing that I am not sure how to take.

I zoom the screen in on the last piece, and that's when I see it, the thing that takes me back. Rosemarie Hathaway is pregnant.

I take a closer look at the fetus on the screen. Based on the size I would say she is about a month and a half along. She probably doesn't even know yet. I quickly pull her out of the MRI and take her back to her room. A nurse brings in the ultrasound machine, so I can do a prenatal exam.

However, what I find stops me. This girl is going to find out about the baby in the worst way possible. There is no heart beat on the screen. Not even a blip. Whoever injured Rose Hathaway also killed the unborn child she was carrying inside her.

Great, more news to break to Headmistress Kirova, Alberta, and Janine Hathaway. Not only was Rosemarie Hathaway purposefully attacked, but she was pregnant, and her baby is dead.

A/N: Please favorite, follow, and review!


	6. Chapter 6

Dr. Olendzki's POV

As I realized that the poor girl had not only been through a severe trauma, but had also lost a child, I realized I needed to get support from Headmistress Kirova and Alberta in the clinic. After I pushed the ultrasound machine into the corner, I noticed the blood pooling in the sheets. I realized that she was miscarrying the baby, which I knew would happen after the ultrasound. I got a nurse and we handled the situation as best we could.

Over my years at the school I had seen many pregnant teenagers, however I had never dealt with a miscarriage. It was extremely emotional to witness. We cleaned her up and moved her to a different room. I wouldn't want to be in the same room after an experience like that, and even though she didn't know what happened, I moved her out of respect for her loss.

I decided that it was time to call Alberta, and I would have her help me with the Headmistress, who could be rash during some decisions.

"Alberta," I said shakily, "I need you in the clinic. It's Rose."

I didn't need to say anything more than that. About 10 minutes later, Alberta walked through the doors of the clinic. I did my best to inform her about what happened. To say she was shocked was putting it lightly. However, she took the news well and let me know that she would take care of contacting Janine. Together we called Headmistress Kirova to the clinic and explained the situation.

"Well, nothing to be done about it now. The problem took care of itself." She said coldly as she walked out of the clinic.

"Do you know who the father could have been?" I asked Alberta quietly.

"No, I honestly don't." She replied softly. "But he has the right to know. We can find out from Rose when she wakes up. Are you able to perform a paternity test?"

"I can, but I won't have any DNA to compare it to. So it would just be a random test, unless someone comes in with DNA to compare for paternity." I reply.

"Do that. We might need it at some point." Alberta tells me gently before she leaves the clinic.

I get to work on the test while I continue to monitor Rose's vitals. I stop in to check on the Ivashkov boy and Princess Dragomir as well. They are both still resting and their vitals are normal. It would appear that, for now, everyone in my clinic is well on their way to full health.

DPOV

After a full night's sleep, I am feeling rested and ready to go check on Roza. I grab a coffee and bagel from the dining hall on my way to the clinic. As I walk in the door, I see Adrian and Christian chatting quietly outside of a room.

"Hey, any new news about Rose?" I ask them.

"Not that we've been told." Adrian replies.

"But Lissa was found collapsed on Rose's bed." Christian says seriously. "She gave her all the energy she had left."

"Neither of them have any regard for their own safety." I respond with slight irritation. "I am going to go check in with Dr. Olendzki."

When I find her, she tells me that Rose is fully healed, and that we just need to wait for her to wake up at this point. I can feel my body sag in relief as she tells me the news. _Roza is going to be okay._ Now I can focus on finding out what happened to her.

"Do you know what happened to her?" I ask quietly.

"All I can tell from the MRI is that her injuries were serious, and there is no way she inflicted them on herself. I have already informed Headmistress Kirova and Alberta. They are opening an investigation as we speak." Dr. Olendzki tells me.

"Thank you for the update." I reply.

Then I head back to Rose's room. I sit quietly by her bedside trying to figure out exactly what happened to put her in this position.

LPOV

I open my eyes and see bright lights everywhere. Then I look to my right and see Christian sitting in the corner reading a magazine. He looks up as though he knew I was looking at him.

"Hey there beautiful." He says. "You gave us quite a scare there. I can't believe you pulled a stunt like that."

"But she's my sister…" I reply quietly.

"I know, and that's why I forgive you for scaring me." He tells me lightly, as he kisses my forehead.

I smile knowing that I not only have the most amazing man in the world as my boyfriend, but that I saved my best friend last night. Right before I passed out, I felt the last of the injury leave. While it took a toll on me, I knew I did the right thing by Rose. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

"I need to get to class, but I will be back to see you later. Hopefully they'll let you go back to your room and rest." Christian says as he leaves my room.

"Bye." I reply softly as he leaves the room.

That's when Dr. Olendzki comes in. She gives me a once over and lets me know that I am free to go back to my room at any time. However, she has a few questions for me first.

"Miss Dragomir, do you know if Miss Hathaway was seeing anyone, like a boyfriend?" She asks me seriously.

"Why?" I ask, not wanting to give away Rose's secret without a good reason.

"Something came up during her exam, and I would like to speak with him if she has one." She replies suspiciously.

"What came up?" I ask her quickly.

"That will be for Miss Hathaway to share with you if she choses." Dr. Olendzki says as she leaves my room.

I test the bond to see if Rose is awake yet. I don't feel anything, so I assume she isn't. Therefore, I decide it's time to head up to my room and rest some more. On my way out of the clinic I see Dimitri talking to Tasha. I am about to walk over as I see them kiss! I quickly make my way out of the clinic trying to process what I just saw. _Dimitri kissed Tasha! No, Tasha kissed Dimitri. No, they kissed each other. I don't know who kissed who, but someone has some serious explaining to do._

I walk up to my room furious and trying to figure out what to do with this new information. I know that Rose told me her and Dimitri had sex. She said that they were waiting until graduation to make it official, yet I saw Dimitri and Tasha kissing. How am I going to tell Rose that Dimitri isn't the man she thought he was?

RPOV

I open my eyes to see that I am in the clinic, and I do a quick mental check of my body. Everything appears to be present and functioning. _Thank goodness. Lissa came._ Then I turn over to see if anyone is in my room. I don't see anyone in my room. However, I do see Dimitri and Tasha through the window… Kissing.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I am thrilled with the reviews I am reading. You all rock! In response to one review in particular, I am sorry that you feel as though this story is just like every other one you've read, and that I am a Tasha lover. My story line may have some similarities to other Rose/Dimitri pairings, but it is most certainly not a Dimitri/Tasha story. So please prepare yourselves for some serious Tasha bashing later. :) I don't write fluffy pieces. I want ones with drama, edge, and emotion. Ones that will leave you wanting more. So please, enjoy the next chapter! :)

DPOV

"Tasha, what are you doing?" I ask pulling away from her.

I felt a fog in my head, _probably induced by that amazing kiss… wait! What am I thinking? Amazing kiss? From Tasha? No. I love Rose. Why would I think Tasha's kiss was so amazing?_

"Dimka. We can be together. I can give you the life you always wanted. Don't you want it all?" She asked me half begging.

"I love her Tasha, and right now she's injured because someone attacked her. I need to be by her side, not discussing what a future with you could look like. I'm sorry. You're one of my best friends, but…" I said, then stopped.

I saw my beautiful Roza's eyes looking at me through the glass. They were brimming with tears, and I knew then that she had seen everything. _How am I going to explain to her that this isn't what she thinks?_

RPOV

I continue to watch the love of my life with Tasha through the glass. _How could he do this to me? To us?_ I see him turn around and face me. The look on his face is priceless, he knows he's been caught. _No use denying it now._ I roll over on the bed, away from him. I can't get my brain to stop. _I need to get out of this bed. I need to get out of this room. I need to get out of this building._

I stand quickly and find my clothes draped neatly over a chair. I begin to put my pants on, as I hear the door open and shut quietly. While I continue to dress, I can sense Dimitri coming up behind me.

"Don't touch me." I say harshly.

"Rose, I don't want her. I want you." He replies weakly.

Once I am completely dressed, I whip around to look him in the eyes.

"You kissed her Dimitri. Not once, but twice. I've seen it." I respond feeling my resolve falter some, as I look into his eyes.

"She kissed me Rose, not the other way around. You're the only girl I want." He whispers softly as he takes my face in his hands.

I feel his lips touch mine softly, as his calloused hands dig into my hair. He removes one hand from my hair to wrap around my torso and pull me closer. When I kiss Dimitri, it feels as though every nerve ending in my body has been electrified. I feel alive in a way that no one has ever made me feel before.

"I love you Dimitri, but I need to see that you're serious about me. That means I can't see anything like that again. I know she's your friend, but you spending time with her makes me uncomfortable. Please, just don't spend anymore time with her than you have to." I beg softly.

"Alright Roza. I'll do my best." He whispers as he kisses my forehead. "I need to get back to work, but I'll see you later?"

"You can count on it Comrade." I reply gently, as he turns and leaves my room.

I finish packing up my things and leave the clinic. I want nothing more than to get back to my room and see my friends. Plus, I need to speak with Alberta about what happened with Tasha. I need them to find proof before I tell Dimitri. I know he loves me, but I can't help but feel that he won't believe that Tasha is capable of attacking me. With that I step out of the clinic and make my way back to my dorm.

When I get there, I quickly change into sweatpants and an old t-shirt. While throwing my hair up into a bun, I climb into my bed. I settle in and drift off to sleep. A few hours later, I hear a knock on the door. I sleepily climb out of bed to see who could possibly be disturbing me from my peaceful slumber, only to find my sexy hunk of a Russian waiting outside my door with a chocolate donut and a look that screams "I'm sorry".

I let him through the door, but not before stealing the donut and happily munching on my way back to my bed. He follows me slowly toward the bed, but pauses about three feet away.

"Roza, I'm sorry." He says softly. "I should have made it clear to Tasha, after she kissed me the first time, that I didn't want her that way. The only woman I want that way is you."

"Thank you Dimitri. That means a lot." I reply quietly. "Now get over here."

He wastes no time coming to join me on my bed. I quickly pull out his ponytail and run my fingers through his hair. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me toward him. I end up in his lap, straddling his waist, as I push him to the bed. There is just something about the way he lights my senses on fire with his touch that leaves me craving more. I push his torso down further as I pull at the hem of his shirt. He obliges me and removes the object in the way of his beautifully sculpted chest. I can feel him yanking at my top as well. I quickly remove it and run my hands down his chest. He and I need no words as we continue to remove each other's clothing. I feel his hands sliding down my torso to grip my hips. He flips us, so that I am laying beneath him.

"My Roza. You are so beautiful." He whispers huskily.

"I love you Dimitri." I reply softly.

I close my eyes as he leans toward me and kisses me, telling me he feels the same. Our tongues dance with one another, as we go deeper and deeper into the kiss. I can feel his member nudging at my entrance. I give a quick nod yes, before he thrusts himself deep inside me. I feel a little pain, as I adjust to his size again. Once the pain is gone, I get the urge to move. He takes the hint and pulls slowly out of me, before pushing back in. Our pace increases as we both come closer to our climax. With a sweep of his thumb across my clitoris, I am finished and feel my walls fluttering against him. He follows quickly behind me a couple of thrusts later. When he has ridden out his own climax, he collapses next to me and pulls me close.

"Roza, that was amazing. I never cease to be amazed by you." He murmurs.

"Yeah…" I sigh, feeling the sleepy haze fill my body.

I can feel myself falling asleep in his arms. He makes me feel complete, content, and cherished. I don't know that I will ever feel like this with anyone else. He makes me feel alive in a way that no one ever has. He is truly the man I want to wake up with every morning, and the man I want to fall asleep with every night. I just wish that I could give this amazing man everything he wants. He wants a family; I know he does. Even though he tells me that he is fine without one and that I am enough, I don't believe that I am. He deserves to have that family. I wish I knew how to give that to him.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hello all! Please review, and let me know what you think! Your reviews keep me excited about writing more. I can't wait to see what you all think!

Dr. Olendzki's POV

I walk into the clinic after my lunch break and decide to start my rounds with Miss Hathaway. As I walk into her room, I find it empty.

"Who cleared Rose Hathaway to leave?" I call out to the nurses.

They all stare at me with a look of shock.

"You're telling me that our patient, the one who was just nearly torched from the inside out, just got up and walked out of this clinic without any one knowing?" I say feeling my irritation grow.

They all nod dumbly at me. Well this is just great. My patient up and left without being cleared. I'm not terribly surprised, being that the patient is Rose Hathaway. However, it would be nice to that I can leave for a long lunch without a patient leaving unnoticed. Guess I will send a notice to the dorms that she needs to come in for check out tomorrow morning. I have too much else on my plate today to worry about a patient who is able to leave on their own.

I stand up and walk back into the lab to check on the paternity test Alberta wanted me to run. I see that the samples have been processed and are ready for comparison. I pull out the sample of Rose's DNA to compare with the DNA of the fetus. I check for any abnormalities and see none, so I move on and check the y chromosome of the fetus's DNA. What I see takes me by surprise. Since I know Rose is clearly the mother, why is it that both of the child's chromosomes have dhampir characteristics?

RPOV

When I wake up, I feel Dimitri's arm tucked snuggly around my middle. I swear the weight of his arm alone is like a sack of bricks, but I love how tightly he has me gripped to him. I turn over in his embrace and lightly kiss his lips. I watch as his eyes flutter open slightly. He moans and closes them again as he pulls me closer. I feel him bury his face in my hair. He inhales deeply as he begins to rub his hands down my back. I place my arm over his hip and sigh.

"This feels perfect." I murmur.

"You feel perfect." He replies huskily.

"Oh no no Comrade. We have other things to get done today. We can't do that again." I say laughing lightly, as I roll over to climb out of bed.

"You, Roza, are not going anywhere." He replies, as he pulls me back and flips me so that he is straddling me.

I look up at him and smile. Being here, with him, makes me feel like I am on the moon. Just as I think we are going to go for round two, he sits up and looks at me seriously.

"Roza, we need to talk." He says.

"About what Dimitri? Can't we just get back to what we were going to do?" I ask sighing, but knowing we should probably talk instead.

"Not right now, but we will." He says laughing lightly. "Roza, we need to talk about your attack. What happened? How did you let someone get close enough to do that to you? Why didn't you attack them first?" He asked flinging off a rapid fire list of questions.

"Woah there… One question at a time." I reply.

"What happened?" He asks again.

"I walked out of the gym, after I finished cleaning up the practice materials. When I left the gym, it felt like someone was watching me, so I turned around and got into my fighting stance. The person came out from behind the trees. It was a moroi, so my guard went down some. I talked with my attacker for a bit, then they attacked me. I felt like they were burning me from the inside. Each time I tried to escape their hold, they made the attack more severe. I didn't have any escape from it." I answer as best I can.

"I guess that answers the why didn't you attack them first, but how did you not attack them Roza?" He asks me earnestly.

"I tried." I reply quietly. "I just couldn't fight off the pain enough to get close to them. I tried and tried to block out the pain, but it was crippling. I couldn't get anywhere near them, and they could intensify the pain at any time by simply willing it to happen. There was no way to defend against the attack."

"Who did this Roza? I want a name." He responds forcefully.

"I can't tell you." I say softly.

"And why not?" He replies, almost angrily.

"Because, even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me. It's also not like charges would be pressed, or you would attack them, so there's no reason to tell you either." I answer, feeling slightly angry.

"I can assure you Roza, vengeance would be served. No moroi should have the right to go around and abuse their power like that. They deserve to face some consequences for their actions. They almost killed you!" he said, finally getting angry.

"Maybe. I'll think about telling you, but for now, can't I just enjoy being in your arms?" I ask quietly.

"For now Roza, but don't think we are finished with this topic. No one is going to come in and hurt you without answering to me." He says.

I snuggle into his arms letting my mind run wild with the ways Dimitri could react to Tasha being my attacker. The first one that runs through my mind is anger with Tasha. He could be angry with her for doing this to me. However, even with his reassurances that he wouldn't let my attacker get away with it, I can't help but feel that he has a soft spot for her. This makes me think that the more realistic response is denial. I don't think there is any way he would believe that one of his best friends put me in the hospital. For now, I know I can't sit and dwell on his potential response. I need to just enjoy my time with my beautiful hunk of a Russian, until he knows the truth.

Tasha POV

 _That stupid little bitch!_ She can't kidnap my Dimka from me. I need to find a way to get him alone so that I can compel him. I almost had him in the clinic. He was so close to being under my spell. I just need a little longer alone with him next time. Then I can give him every thing he wants. He can be the best guardian, have a family, be a loving husband. With me he can have it all. Why wouldn't he want that? I just need to captivate him long enough to compel him. I will give him the life he deserves. He can have so much more with me than with that little brat he calls a girlfriend. Now, I just need to get him away from her long enough to take care of business.

DPOV

 _My Roza._ Someone has harmed her and she doesn't want to tell me. How can she think that I wouldn't do anything about it? I love her more than life. I would do anything for her. I feel her snuggle into my side and drift into another nap. Whoever did this to her really injured her. Not that Roza would admit it, but I can tell she is completely exhausted, and her body needs more time to heal. With that I slowly untangle her from me and stand alongside the bed. I have my shift for the next five hours, so I leave her a note letting her know where I've gone and head out to work. When I arrive at my post, Tasha is there waiting for me.

"Dimka!" She shouts excitedly, as she runs over to hug me.

"Hello Tasha." I reply calmly, as I pull her off of me.

"Can we talk?" She asks, looking slightly offended that I didn't eagerly return her hug.

"Sure Tasha. Let's walk." I respond gently.

"Look Dimka," she begins, "I know you. You want a family and everything else life has to offer. You deserve all of those things. Please let me give them to you."

I can feel her eyes turn on me, so I turn to look at her. It feels as though she is gazing through my soul. My mind starts to slip slowly from me.

"You're right Tasha. I do want all of those things." I can hear myself saying.

"Be my guardian Dimka. Let me love you the way you deserve to be loved." She whispers earnestly.

"Tasha…" I say as I feel my resolve slipping. _What is happening? Why can't I say no?_

"Please Dimka. We can have a house full of children. I can be everything you need me to be. We can be happy." She replies.

"Okay." I say as I realize I am not in control of my thoughts or speech.

"I love you Dimka." She says softly as her lips meet mine.

I feel myself returning her kiss eagerly. I'm not sure what happened, but suddenly I don't want anyone except Tasha.

TPOV

 _Finally, Dimka is mine. Now I just need to keep him compelled long enough for us to get married._


	9. Author's Note

Hello my Loyal Readers!

I am in the process of getting you Chapter 9. However I got these reviews, and I feel as though they need to be addressed. I want to do what I can to keep my readers happy, however I won't allow people to try to make me feel inferior. With this being said...

To the Guests who left me these reviews:

"You ruined the story for me as soon you you did the whole compelling shit. It's old and I am soooo sick of reading stories where Dimitri says" it's not my fault Roza Tasha compelled me " it's bullshit and a total cop out. You give us a lemon with Dimitri and Rose and then throw that shit in. Your story is giving me whiplash. One minute he is kissing Tasha then he is begging Roses forgiveness and having sex with her. And now you have him back with Tasha. I don't like being messed about in stories. If that's the way you want to go dragging it out like that with this rediculios compelling shit then I am done reading this. I get the feelling you are some kid writing a story on FF because you act like that. Thanks for ruining the story."

"Boring! Compelling! Really that's the best you can come up with. Not very original or different from other Dimitri left Rose for Tasha stories. The compelling thing has been done to death. Are you going to have Dimitri fuck Tasha and blame it on being compelled. Pathetic."

I am sorry you feel this way about my story. If you have read anything, you should know that it takes time to get into a story. I have to lay the ground work the way I want it for my story, whether you like the way I have done this or not. "Whiplash" is a little harsh in my mind. Tasha is fighting for Dimitri as well as Rose. The whole point is that he is getting dragged in two different directions. I have a way that I see this story playing out, and for it to go the way I want, I need him to be torn and conflicted. I need Dimitri confused. Please do not sit and insult me for writing the story the way I want. I appreciate the time you took to review, however you did not need to attempt to personally attack me to make your point.

Sorry for the misplaced excitement over an update. I will do my best to get you chapter nine tonight to make up for it. :)


	10. Chapter 9

DPOV

I watch as Tasha walks away, and I can feel the fog lifting slightly. It's then that the guilt sets in. I know that if Roza ever finds out, she will have my head on a platter. At the same time, I don't know what to feel. Tasha is offering something amazing. I could have children. I could have the life I want. No one would frown upon a relationship with Tasha. However, she doesn't light my soul on fire. When I am with Roza, I can feel the sparks all the way down to my toes. I feel like I am flying. Is the potential of a family worth throwing something like that away? I continue to try and clear the fog from my head. That's when I see Adrian standing with his mouth flopping open like a fish. He is gaping at me from the walk way. I realize that he has seen everything between Tasha and I.

As I move towards Adrian, he turns and begins to walk the other way. I have to run to catch up with him, but I finally cut him off.

"Adrian…" I begin, "What you saw..."

"I don't want to hear it Dimitri. How could you do that to Rose? Don't you realize how much she loves you?" He practically shouts at me.

"I do Adrian. I don't know what happened. That's what I'm trying to tell you. One minute I'm ready to tell Tasha that I don't want anything to do with her, and the next moment we are kissing." I say desperately.

He looks at me skeptically. As he glares at me, I feel as though I am being looked right through.

"Adrian. Please. Don't do anything rash. Please let me tell Rose in my own time. I need to explain to her what happened." I reply, as I am begging him with my eyes to keep quiet.

"You know I can't keep this from her Dimitri. She is getting ready to graduate and you won't need to keep your relationship secret in a couple weeks. Isn't that what you two have been waiting for?" He asks me seriously.

That's when it dawns on me that no one knows about our relationship except Lissa.

"Wait, how did you know?" I ask.

"Well, she hasn't responded to my advances, and both of your auras light up when you are around each other. It was a pretty easy conclusion to make. However, your aura was lit up with Tasha too. It wasn't at the beginning, but after a minute it did. Care to tell me how that could be, if you truly love Rose?" He replies sternly.

"She's offering me a lot. She is offering me a family." I say quietly.

"Dimitri, do you realize that she is compelling you?" Adrian asks, sounding rather shocked.

"What?" I nearly shout, "She wouldn't do that to me."

"Well, your aura got tinges of black around it, when you said that." He replies seriously.

"So that means what? I don't like Tasha? Because she is one of my friends, so that isn't true." I respond.

"No. It means that's what she's compelled you to believe. When someone has been compelled, their aura gets a black tinge around the edges as they say what they have been compelled to believe." Adrian tells me.

"Adrian, she wouldn't do that to me." I say, not knowing what to believe.

"Believe what you want Belikov, but I need to tell Rose. This isn't fair to her if you are having second thoughts, compelled or not." He replies.

I watch Adrian stalk off toward the novice guardian dorms. He is going to tell her what happened. I feel torn though. I really feel that going with Tasha is a viable option, however even the thought of being compelled to do so makes me sick. How am I supposed to figure out what is true and what isn't? One thing I know for sure though, is I need to get to Rose before Adrian. If I am ever going to have a chance with Rose, she needs to hear this from me. With that, I leave my post and sprint off towards the novice dorms. I can only hope that I will beat Adrian there.

RPOV

I hear an incessant banging on my door that brings me from my slumber. Whoever is there, is not giving up, so I stumble out of my warm bed and towards the door. I trip over my sneakers on my way to the door. _Damn, I really need to clean my room._ I realize as I finally make my way over the rest of my clothes and get to the door. I wrench the door open to see Adrian standing, fist posed to knock on the door again. I motion him into my room, and I am about to close the door as I see a winded Dimitri show up and push it open again. He steps in and closes the door behind him. I look between the two men, waiting for one of them to tell me what the hell they think they're doing waking me up.

"Belikov has something he needs to tell you Rose." Adrian says harshly. I look over to Dimitri to see what he has to say.

"Roza…" He starts hesitantly, "Tasha and I kissed." I can feel like the wind has been completely sucked out of my sails again. I was so happy just a couple of hours ago, and now my boyfriend is telling me he kissed another woman. He kissed my attacker, the woman who tried to kill me.

"Why?" I ask. It's all I can bring myself to ask. I feel so betrayed.

"She can offer me a family." He says quietly. "But I don't know why I kissed her." Those words cause everything in me to fall apart.

"Your aura just did it again." Adrian says quietly.

"What? It did what?" I ask looking pointedly at Adrian.

"It turned black around the edges. It does that when someone is saying or doing something they've been compelled to believe, say, or do." He tells me quietly. I turn quickly to Dimitri.

"Did she compel you?" I ask him.

"She wouldn't do that Rose. I've already told Adrian this too." He replies seriously.

"Did she compel him Adrian?" I ask.

"Based on everything I know, yes." He tells me.

"That bitch!" I shout. I can feel Lissa's darkness brewing through the bond. "She's the one that attacked me." I say pointedly towards Dimitri.

"Rose, I know you're upset with her, but she wouldn't try to kill you." He responds.

"Well she did. She told me that she saw us kissing, and then attacked me. Tried to burn me from the inside out." I say waiting for his response.

"Tasha did this?" Adrian says shocked.

"She did." I tell him.

"I'll kill her." Adrian tells me, looking murderous.

"Rose I will take down whoever did this, but there is no need to say it was Tasha. Just because she kissed me does not mean you need to accuse her of being an attempted murderer." He replies.

"Well Dimitri, you need to take a second look, because she did. I told you that you wouldn't believe me. Now here we are, in exactly the same place I thought we would be!" I shout.

"Rose she wouldn't compel me, and she wouldn't try to kill you. You're friends with her nephew and the princess. She is one of my closest friends. Why would she want to hurt us?" He asks me.

"Because she's obsessed with you Dimitri! She wants you so badly that she is willing to illegally compel you and willing to nearly kill me. She wants a family, and she wants it with you." I respond angrily.

"I will have them look into your accusations Rose, but I don't think she would do that." He says as he walks out of my room.

I feel my heart crack. He had the response I was expecting. I knew he wouldn't believe that his friend could do something like that. But now there is even more to add to Tasha's list of crimes, compulsion. She compelled Dimitri into wanting her. However, he is too blinded by their friendship to see it.

"Adrian," I say hearing my voice crack, "Is her compulsion that powerful? Could it really blind him that much?"

"If it has been used enough on someone, or she is well practiced." He says softly. My eyes begin to blur, as I realize that I may really lose Dimitri to her. I may lose him because some crazy bitch has decided to compel him into doing what she wants. She has confused him, planted just enough doubt in his mind. She has shown him, through compulsion, that he wants a family. He wants a family, quite possibly, more than he wants me.

"The more someone already believes what they are being compelled to believe, the easier it is." Adrian tells me.

"So he believes he loves her?" I ask

"No, he believes that she may be his only chance at biological children." He whispers quietly as he wraps his arms around me.

I sink into Adrian's arms, as I begin to sob. The man I gave my heart to doesn't believe me. He doesn't believe that Tasha attacked me. He doesn't believe that Tasha could have possibly compelled him. _How can I get him to see the truth?_ I move towards my bed and curl up under the covers, burying my face in my pillow.

"Adrian, will you just stay?" I ask quietly.

"Anything for you little Dhampir." He says softly. I feel the bed sink down as he lays on top of the covers and rubs my back. It is exactly what I imagine a parent would do when their child was sad. It's nice to know that even though my life feels like it is falling apart, I have friends who are there to help me hold it together. I feel myself drift off to sleep, as I think about how I am going to help Dimitri see Tasha for what she is, a manipulative bitch.


End file.
